Sheet-metal can



B. N. WELLS SHEET METAL CAN May 8, 1923.-

Filed Dec. 15, 1921 Patented May 8, 1923. I

UNITED STATS PATENTS 1 ENJAMIN n. WELLS, or RALEIGH, NORTHCAROLINAyASSIGNORTO THE. SEAMLESS i can a BUCKET (10., or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION or MARYLAND."

SHEET-METAL CAl\T.-. 1

Application filed eana 15, 1921. Sea 110,522,611.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN N. WELLS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Raleigh, in the county of Wake and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet- Metal Cans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cans or contain ers designed particularly for holding light oils, such as gasolene, but suitable for other purposes.

Cans used for dispensing oil are usually formed with side and bottom seams, and where the can is provided with a bail by which it may be lifted or suspended, the ears to which the bail is attached are very commonly riveted to the side wall of the can. Frequently, through defective seaming or riveting, or through strain to which thecans are subjected in handling or shipping, crevices occur in the seams or around the rivets through which light oils, such as gasolene or benzine, will leak freely, even though the crevices be too small to cause appreciable leak of a heavy oil. These crevices are often large enough or numerous enough to cause a considerable loss from the contents of the can.

In order to provide a can or container which is free from these defects and which is also strong, light and inexpensive to manufacture, I form the can from a single disk of sheet metal having integral ears, the side walls of the can being rolled up at right angles to the bottom by a machine similar to a flanging machine but having fluted rolls which form in the wall corrugations of gradually increasing depth, from bottom to top. The metal in the outer portionso-f the disk is taken up by these corrugations as the side wall is rolled into cylindrical form, and the corrugations strengthen the can. I p

r also provide a top for the can having a corrugated flange fitting the corrugations in the body, and this top is secured to the body by solder which forms a seal. The can, including the ears, is thus made without scams or 7 joints except the joint between the body and the top. As no weight of liquid is carried above the soldered joint, no leakage will occur even though there may be crevices in the seam around the top.

, In the accompanying drawing,

. 1g. 1 13s a top planfviewof the blank from WhlCh. the canbody is made, i

Fig. 2 is a section through the blank on I the line or Fig. 1,;

Fig. 3is a perspective view of the can body; p

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the can top;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the can body, partly formed; and,

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the completed can.

In Figs. 1 and 2, a represents a sheet metal disk from which the. can body is formed, this disk being punched from sheet metal and having diametrically opposite projections 1,'punched with suitable openings 1, sa d projections in the completed can formmg ears for the attachment of the bail or handle. Before the blank is rolled into cylindrical shape, I press out from this central portion several knobs 2, which constitute feet or supports for the can, and also press the metal in the opposite direction to form a hand hold 3. The blank is then placed in. a machine similar to a flanging machinebut having corrugatingrolls, the flutes in which are of gradually increasing depth, and in this machine the can body I) (is formed as shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 5, the blank is shown with the part4, which forms the side wall of the can, partly rolled, the bottom of the can being indicated. at: 5. The corrugations 4% in the side wall of the can are relatively deep at the top and diminish in depth as they approach the bottom. It will be evident that the can body, as shown in Fig. 3, is seamless and rivetless.

As a closure for the canbody, I provide the top 0, having on its lower side a corrugated flange 6, which is adapted to fit within the corrugations of the can body. This top maybe a thin casting and it is provided with ears 7, having perforations adapted to register with the perforations in the ears 1 on the can body so that the bail or handle 8 may be hooked through. the ears on the can and top. Preferably, eyelets 11 are inserted the parts by solder. The can top is provided With a'suitable filling opening having a removable cap 9, and it is also provided with a faucet 10, by means of which the can contents may be Withdrawn, by tilting the can.

The can formed as described has no seams, joints or rivet holes through which the fluid can escape. As the joint between the top and the body is above the height of the liquid, no leakage can occur at this joint so long as the can is maintained upright, which is its usual position. The corrugations strengthen the can in a vertical direction and also laterally, and for this reason the can body can be made of relatively thin sheet 1,45e,so2

metal. The body can be made at little cost by the rolling process mentioned.

What I claim is:

A seamless sheet metal container for liquids having a cylindrical side Wall corrugated longitudinally, the depth of the corrugations increasing from the bottom upwardly, said container having integral ears projecting from opposite edges of the side Wall, a cover having a corrugated flange fit ting the corrugations in the container and sealed to the container and a faucet on the cover.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

BENJAMIN N. WELLS. 

